Premarital sex is the act of engaging in physical intimacy before marriage. Although frequently glamorized in the media and on television, premarital sex in fact carries a number of dangerous risk factors.

For one, premarital sex is explicitly forbidden by scripture, where it is spoken of as "fornication" (Cor. 6:13,[1] Cor. 6.9-10[2]). Abstaining from sex until marriage is also part of maintaining the sanctity of marriage. Additionally, premarital sex can lead to pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. The only 100% certain way of preventing either outcome is abstinence.

A number of support groups exist to encourage abstinence until marriage, including the Silver Ring Thing[3] and True Love Waits.[4]